What's This Thing? G88? Please Tell Me Everything You Know... Thanks!

[villiers]

An old piece of German Army wisdom has it that the Gew. 88 killed more German soldiers than the French during the Franco Prussian War. One reason was the poor quality of the first German smokeless powder. Whereas the French could make their nitro powder from Algerian cotton, the Germans had to use wood, rotted in ditches filled with acid. It was also maintained that the Loewe factory that made the first Gew. 88 delivered unreliable quality.

[Calif-Steve]

Say what?? Read and learn: The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War[7] (19 July 1870 – 10 May 1871) was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia.
Gew88's were built 1888 to 1894/5. 17 years AFTER the Franco-Prussian war. Actually, the Gew88 served for years in the German and Turkish Armies and served well.

[AZPhil]

I have a all matching except bolt and rear site(TURKED)1891 Amberg Gew 88/05 and what I found on mine was an extra # along with my serial # I found this # on my barrel and barrel shroud ,it was in the barrel channel of the stock and it was also on some of the smaller parts in the magazine area. I asked about this # to another collector and he has since found that this # is actually the 05 mod #. My # is 42. It was the 42nd 05 mod done by Amberg. Other members of another Gew88 site have verfied there AMBERG 05 mod # .If possible could you see if you have this extra # on your AMBERG?
Take care
Semper Fi
Phil

[villiers]

Say what?? Read and learn: The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War[7] (19 July 1870 – 10 May 1871) was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia.
Gew88's were built 1888 to 1894/5. 17 years AFTER the Franco-Prussian war. Actually, the Gew88 served for years in the German and Turkish Armies and served well.

Correct! The Franco-Prussian War was over, so those serving later who were then issued with the `88 could make the comparison (for what it´s worth). A Prussian Acceptance Commission was situated within the Loewe factory and it was found that `88 rifles had been crated and sent out with manipulated acceptance papers. This was to lead to a press campaign by a rabid nationalist against the Jewish Loewe company. Admirably, Kaiser Bill put a stop to the campaign against Loewe. It took some years for the bugs to be ironed out, but finally the much better Mauser 89 was accepted.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Patrick - a typo I think - you presumably mean the Gew.98 (not 89!).

To All:
It would be best to avoid citing elements of the anti-semitic agitation attached to the Gew88. They are not pertinent to the aims of this forum. The matter has been comprehensively dealt with by historians, and if it is pursued here we are going to go way off topic in a matter that is both political and distasteful.

Forgetting the political dirt thrown at the Gew.88 and getting back on the topic of what the rifle is/was and what it can do, I recommend

A Collector's Guide to the German Gew.88 "Commission" Rifle
by Paul Scarlata,
Mowbray, ISBN 1-931464-30-8

Patrick

[Josh Smith]

Thanks gents.

I decided to go with a powder I know.

Thus far I've fired two rounds. Both were 0.318" 200grn JSP over 40.5grns of Varget. That's a starting load for the 7,9x57js, but right in the middle of the pressure curve for the j. Also got a pamphlet with about all the loads out there for the j and js.

Now,the first round was fired remotely from behind ballistic glass as suggested by JayPee. I opened the breech, inspected the cartridge, bolt, etc for damage. Everything looked perfect, so I fired the next one manually into a dead tree about 25 or 30 yards distant.

It went right where i wanted, but a couple inches high.

I'm pretty sure the guy who had this before me had been running surplus (eek) through it as evidenced by the bore's condition. If that's the case, this old warhorse is getting a break.

Range report to follow after I test the cycling!

Regards,

Josh

[Calif-Steve]

I would go with 8mm Remington or Winchester commerical ammo. Loaded to G88 velocity and very safe. Do avoid the European 8mm. They load it for the Mod 98 rifles.

[villiers]

Patrick - a typo I think - you presumably mean the Gew.98 (not 89!).

To All:
It would be best to avoid citing elements of the anti-semitic agitation attached to the Gew88. They are not pertinent to the aims of this forum. The matter has been comprehensively dealt with by historians, and if it is pursued here we are going to go way off topic in a matter that is both political and distasteful.

Forgetting the political dirt thrown at the Gew.88 and getting back on the topic of what the rifle is/was and what it can do, I recommend

A Collector's Guide to the German Gew.88 "Commission" Rifle
by Paul Scarlata,
Mowbray, ISBN 1-931464-30-8

Patrick

Correct: typo 89 for 98. My admiration for the Loewes precludes any form of anti-semitism. One of them was responsible for the development and manufacture of the Luger pistol. The other, together with Rathenau for the development of field telegraphy (he invented the electronic circuit board). The company Loewe Opta is still the leading TV manufacturer in Germany. Under the Kaiser, Loewe was a progressive member of parliament who built the first exemplary housing projects for his employees in Berlin.